Prime Minister Imran Khan, while giving an interview to a private TV Channel on number issues, also categorically rejected the possibility of recognizing the Zionist State of Israel. He said, “My conscience will not accept Israel.” The rejection of this perception was necessary after the publication of an opinionated news story in a leading English daily newspaper few days ago, making the readers believe that the incumbent government may succumb to the pressure of Arab Allies to recognise Israel, when standing in queue two gulf states and African Country Sudan will strike sign accord with Israel on the pattern of US-UAE-Israel recent agreement, which has paved the way for establishing diplomatic relations between UAE and Israel. The Prime Minister recalled the loud stand of founder of Pakistan, Quid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah that unless Palestinians get their due rights of freedom, Israel cannot be recognised. It merits mention that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repudiated the UAE claim about the stopping the establishment of more Jewish settlements on the West Bank. Although the reaction of the Foreign Office on the trilateral agreement between the US-UAE-Israel was in consonance with spirit of the saying of Quid-i-Azam, yet the particular English daily newspaper, which had once published a news story of maligning an important state institution in the last PML-N government and supporting Indian narrative, gave subjective angling to it. The foreign Office spokesman had told that normalization of relations with Israel will depend on how Palestinians’ interests would be served and security in the Middle East is preserved. The bombardment of Refugee camps in the Palestinian Authority areas, continuing the construction of Jewish settlements and the destructive role of Zionist State in the Syrian conflict will keep the Middle East more destabalised and insecure. That is why Iran and Turkey have condemned the trilateral accord. The foreign Office Spokesman had said, “Pakistan’s approach will be guided by our valuation of how Palestinian rights and aspirations are upheld and regional peace and security is upheld.” There seems no ambiguity in Pakistan’s stance. However, it was used as stick to lambast PTI leadership to be toeing a soft line on Israel, whereas there was no such indication in the foreign office response. A wrong perception was created that PTI government has shown flexible attitude on Palestine dispute and issue of ties with Israel under the pressure of oil rich Arab countries on which Pakistan is dependent on financial support, while ignoring the fact that current ruling leadership demonstrated neutrality vis-a-vis Iran and Saudi Arabia in the Yemen conflict. Moreover, the Prime Minister has always been keen to defuse tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia. This was a biased interpretation of the Foreign Office version on the US-UAE-Israel agreement. The unequivocal stance of the Prime Minister will, hopefully, stop the churning of rumor mill.
